


Greetings from Hastyria

by Suzanne_Ely



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-12-19
Packaged: 2019-02-26 05:36:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 11,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13229154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Suzanne_Ely/pseuds/Suzanne_Ely
Summary: Set before the events of the mid-season finale. The Discovery is experiencing some issues with the spore drive. When Doctor Culber suggests that Lieutenant Stamets should get some rest, Captain Lorca decides to set a course to the nearest peaceful planet in order to allow his crew to enjoy a short vacation. But when the natives turn out to be Klingons supporters, the holiday becomes a nightmare for the crew stranded on the planet.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: This is a work of fan-fiction. All characters belong to their rightful owners, except for Alastryne. No profit has been made from this story, none is intended to be made other than the pleasure to write about a fictional universe and characters.

**First officer’s personal log**

  
Things are getting worse and I am worried that there is nothing I can do to save our crew. The thought itself is quite unbearable as it means that I failed them, that I was unable to save my captain. There is a certain irony here since I promised Michael Burnham that I would do a better job protecting my captain than she did hers… She didn’t say anything, but I saw the way she looked at me on the bridge. She doubts me, I can feel it. She asked to lead a rescue team, but to where? All we have is the crew’s last location, as we are unable to lock on them. Their signals have been blocked and so have been the transmission. I won’t allow anyone to beam down before we know exactly where to search. Everyone is working on the issue but we are running out of time. Klingons are on their way and I can’t put the rest of the crew at risk. I’ll soon have to make the most difficult choice of my life and I’m simply not ready for it. I can’t bring myself to abandon my captain. Yet I might have to.


	2. Chapter 2

**24 hours ago**

  
“Commander Saru, you have the bridge.”  
  
Captain Lorca stretched out of his chair and entered the turbolift, leaving his first officer in charge. The atmosphere seemed to brighten a little once he was gone. For the past forty-eight hours, Lorca had been in a dark mood because the spore drive wasn’t working properly. Stamets and his team were trying their best to find what caused the issue, but they had been unable to pinpoint the origin of the instability of the drive so far.

  
“What do you mean, we can’t jump?” Asked the captain when he checked on engineering.  
  
“Just what it means, captain,” replied Stamets. “We can’t jump. It’s too instable and the risk of a malfunction is too high. Not to mention that I would probably be impacted too should something go wrong and quite frankly, I’m not willing to take such a risk.”  
  
“I understand.”  
  
But his tone expressed his frustration and Stamets assured him that he was doing all his best to get the spore drive working.  
  
“We are going through every aspect of the process. We will find the cause of the instability. We simply need more time…”  
  
“Time is a luxury we might not have, mister Stamets,” Lorca stated coldly.

  
As soon as the captain left engineering, Tilly and Burnham joined the lieutenant.  
  
“I know he is the captain, but… is he that heartless? He was ready to let you use the spore drive despite the danger it would put you in!”  
  
Sylvia’s outburst brought a smile on Stamets’ face.  
  
“He is the captain, he is entitled to ask the impossible of us. But I doubt he would go as far as letting me make a jump in our current predicament. He was merely showing us how imperative it is that we fix the drive and that’s exactly what we are going to do. So less chatting and more working.”  
  
Burnham had remained silent, which hadn’t gone unnoticed by Tilly. She chose the workstation next to her roommate to continue the conversation.  
  
“You don’t believe that captain Lorca wouldn’t force the lieutenant to make a jump?” She whispered.  
  
“As lieutenant Stamets said, the captain is entitled to ask the impossible. That’s why I think that captain Lorca would expect him to jump despite the current instability of the spore drive should he consider it absolutely necessary.”  
“So he is heartless then…”  
  
“Not necessarily. He is more the pragmatic type. In time of wars, leaders like him are needed because of their ability to focus on their mission without letting feelings get in the way.”  
  
“I don’t want to be this kind of captain,” confessed Tilly.  
  
“And I doubt you will ever be that kind of captain,” smiled Michael. “We need the idealistic type too, and that’s you.”


	3. Chapter 3

**12 hours ago**

  
Captain Lorca entered medical bay with a strong feeling that he wasn’t going to like whatever Doctor Culber had to tell him. When he saw Paul Stamets sitting on a bed, his head down, the feeling became a certainty. The doctor faced Lorca, his features expressing concern.  
  
“Captain, I believe I have found the cause for the drive’s instability.”  
  
The commanding officer didn’t react, allowing the medical officer to go on:  
  
“As you know, the lieutenant’s DNA has been affected by the tardigrade’s DNA and still in undergoing some molecular changes. As a result, I expected some potential side effects.”  
  
He paused, much to Lorca’s annoyance. The captain knew all this already, he didn’t need to be recalled what happened to Stamets.  
  
“Yes,” he said, refraining from sighing in the process.  
  
“Well, those side effects are the cause of the instability. Our chief engineer’s body is still trying to adjust and it’s an exhausting process, both mentally and physically.”  
  
The captain shot a glance at Stamets who was still staring the floor, in an obvious attempt to avoid any eye contact.  
  
“So what you are saying is that Lieutenant Stamets should get some rest?”  
  
There was a hint of mockery in Lorca’s tone which the doctor disliked.  
  
“Yes and no. What he need is a vacation. He needs to take his mind off all this.”  
  
“I see…”  
  
“Permission to speak freely, Sir?”  
  
The captain nodded his agreement.  
  
“We all need a vacation, you included. This crew has gone through a lot lately and its morale is down. I get more and more patients suffering from sleeping disorder or increased irritability. It is my duty to warn you, Captain. Your crew isn’t well and pushing it further won’t do any good. I fear catastrophic consequences if we don’t act now.”  
  
Lorca’s features softened and his tone was almost gentle when he spoke:  
  
“I will take your request into consideration and I will check with Starfleet Command. Depending on our next orders, we might not get a chance for a small vacation.”  
  
“Yes, yes, I know, we are at war,” Culber waved the coming argument away. “But Sir, what good do you hope to achieve if your crew isn’t up to the task anymore?”  
  
Stamets looked up at his friend and companion, slightly surprised to see him take such a strong stand in front of the captain. He was usually the quiet type… A thin smile appeared on Lorca’s lips.  
  
“As I have said, Doctor, I’m taking your request into consideration…”


	4. Chapter 4

**6 hours ago**

  
Saru was standing next to the captain’s chair. They were approaching their destination and he was quite eager to set foot on the planet he had selected for the crew. When Lorca had told him about doctor Culber’s request, the Kelpien had agreed, sharing some of his own concerns for the crew’s morale. A short change of scenery would be welcome for all of them.  
  
“Do you have somewhere in particular in mind?” Lorca asked.  
  
 The Kelpien nodded and suggested Hastyria, a peaceful planet not far away from their current position.  
  
 “Hastyrians have a strong connection to nature; they worship it and live in perfect harmony with it. They adapt themselves to nature and would do anything to protect it. Hastyria is a magnificent planet with breathtaking views. I can’t think of a better place to get ones’ mind and soul at rest.”  
  
“Then Hastyria it is,” smiled the captain. “Please inform the doctor that his request has been granted and that we are going on holiday. Helm, set a course to Hastyria, warp 5.”  
  
“Yes, Sir!”  
  
The officers on the bridge exchanged a smile as they all looked forward for some time off.


	5. Chapter 5

**3 hours ago**

  
Despite his impatience to beam down to the planet, Saru had decided to let the captain go first.  
  
“Hastyria moves around a powerful sun. Its light might be quite painful for you, Sir. According to my calculations, we should arrive to the beaming site at sunset. I would recommend you go with the first batch of crewmembers.”  
  
Both officers had decided that there would be shifts to ensure that there would always be enough crewmembers to operate the ship should something happen. Lieutenant Tyler was appointed to the captain’s security and they both beamed down to the planet with Stamets and Culber.

  
They materialised on a sandy beach and indeed, Saru had been right. The view was breathtaking. The sun seemed to be sinking into the sea and Lorca struggled to take his eyes off from this sight to face the doctor who had joined him.  
  
“Thank you, Captain,” Culber said gratefully. “This is exactly what we needed.”  
  
“You will have to thank my first officer, Doctor. It was his idea to come here.”

  
Lorca looked around and saw members of his crew scattered on the beach, admiring their surroundings. A line of trees was bordering the beach that ended in a rocky barrier further away. The commanding officer started walking towards it, wondering if there were some caves where he would meet the locals. He was almost through when he spotted a figure looking at him from a distance. A woman was trying to conceal herself behind a tree while staring at him. The captain waved at her and put a smile on his face, a way to show her that he was friendly. Soon, Tyler was walking next to him. He was determined not to let his superior officer out of his sight.  
  
Lorca stopped a few meters away from the tree line. The woman came out from behind her hiding place, but didn’t come any closer.  
  
“Wow,” whispered Tyler. “She looks like a fairy… No wonder Commander Saru likes this planet so much…”  
  
The Hastyrian was short and thin. She had a soft face and long dark hair. Her skin was so pale it was almost transparent. She was wearing a flimsy purple dress and matching ballet pumps.  
  
“Captain,” whispered again the security officer. “I don’t mean to be rude, but you’re staring… She looks frightened…”

  
The commanding officer took a few steps closer:  
  
“Greetings. I’m Gabriel Lorca, captain of the Federation starship U.S.S. Discovery.”  
  
“And I’m Ash Tyler, also from the U.S.S. Discovery,” the lieutenant said, voluntarily keeping quiet about his position as a security officer.  
  
The woman gestured them to come over.  
  
“Are you mad?” She asked once they were all sheltered by bushy trees.  
  
There was anger in her voice and her pale purple eye expressed disapproval.  
  
“What do you mean?” Wondered Tyler.  
  
“Don’t you know? Hastyria pledged allegiance to the Klingons! You need to leave now if you value your life! It’s too dangerous for you to stay here.”

  
Adrenaline rushed over the security officer as soon as he realised that she wasn’t joking or trying to scare them away. He sensed that she was telling the truth. Before he knew it, he was retracing his steps, running back to the beach to warn his fellow crewmembers while Lorca contacted the Discovery.


	6. Chapter 6

**2 hours ago**

  
Commander Saru was staring at the planet, still wondering how things could have turned so wrong in so little time. Everyone was silent on the bridge. It had all started with a mayday from Captain Lorca.   
  
“Lorca to Discovery, you have to get us out of here! We are under attack, I repeat, we are under attack! Hastyria is under Klingon control!”  
  
The first officer ordered the immediate evacuation of all personnel from the planet. The transporter officer reported casualties and injured officers.  
  
“Is Captain Lorca amongst them?” Eagerly asked Saru.  
  
“Negative, Sir. He hasn’t been beamed up yet.”  
  
“Then make it happen!”  
  
Seconds went by, excruciatingly long. The first officer found himself holding his breath while he waited for the transporter officer to send him a new report.  
  
“What is taking so long?” He muttered to himself, before ordering specialist Burnham to head to the transporter room and check on the evacuation status.   
  
“Sir, we are experiencing some technical difficulties. The planet is disrupting our beaming signal. We got everyone except Captain Lorca, Lieutenants Tyler and Stamets and Doctor Culber. We can’t lock on to their signals. In fact, we can’t even locate them on the planet. Boosting the signal had no effect. There is a strong magnetic field covering the planet’s surface. We are cut off from the crew…”  
  
This was not the news Saru had been hoping for. Michael Burnham had more bad news to convey and she did so when they met in the captain’s ready room.  
  
“Hastyria has forged an alliance with the Klingons…”  
  
“So it’s only a matter of time before we see a Klingon warship uncloak right above us…”  
  
“Let me take one of the shuttles and launch a rescue mission,” offered the science specialist.  
  
The Kelpien shook his head:  
“This is not wise. We don’t know where they are and a shuttle will attract unwanted attention.”  
  
“Last they were seen, they were still on the beach, defending themselves,” insisted Burnham.  
  
“By now they probably found a safe place to lay low while we figure out a way to rescue them. I’m not giving up on them. We will save them. Dismissed.”  
  
Once alone, the Kelpien sighed deeply. He had been close to loose his captain once already; he couldn’t bear the idea of loosing him for good this time. He hoped that he had passed on some of his false self confidence to Burnham. She would convey it to the rest of the crew. They needed to be convinced that they would bring the missing crewmembers safely on board. He needed them to surpass themselves.


	7. Chapter 7

**3 hours ago**

  
“It’s too late,” whispered the woman dressed in purple.  
  
Tyler had reached a few crewmembers just in time to see the natives walk toward them. They didn’t look like Klingons despite the fact that they were dressed like them. Their clothes weren’t fitting however. Sadly the laser guns some of them were pointing at the Starfleet personnel were very fitting. Others were armed with various types of blade and sticks. They were obviously not trained soldiers but they were still lethally dangerous. The Discovery crew was too exposed on the beach, they made an easy target.  
  
“Take out the ones with guns!” Shouted Tyler. “We will deal with the others later!”  
  
Phasers were drawn, shots exchanged. Just as he started losing hope, the chief of security saw beaming lights bringing back his fellow colleagues to safety. But then it stopped and the comms died. Tyler was back to back with Stamets who wasn’t a bad shooter. They were shielding the doctor, whose only weapon was his medical tricorder.  
  
From the tree line, Lorca was observing them while trying to contact the Discovery. But it was of no use, somehow his signal was jammed. He took out his phaser and started moving towards his team when someone grabbed his sleeve forcing him to a halt.  
  
“Don’t go,” the woman begged him. “You can’t save them, but you can save yourself. I will help you escape and hide you.”  
  
“I can’t let them die. I’m not going through that again. I will rather fall with them.”  
  
He freed himself and ran towards the beach, using the element of surprise to distract the enemy, therefore allowing Tyler, Culber and Stamets to make a run for it. They rushed towards the tree line while Lorca was covering them, effectively creating some panic amongst the natives. Then it was Tyler who covered the captain while he ran back to the relative safety of the trees.   
  
“You don’t look like a Hastyrian,” stated the chief engineer when he saw the woman.  
  
“That’s because I’m not one of them. I’m stranded on this planet, just like you. I’m Alastryne.”  
  
She then considered Culber:  
“This uniform of yours won’t do. It’s going to get us all killed, we need to do something about it.”  
  
Before the doctor could react, she had managed to make him loose his balance and he landed heavily on the ground.   
  
“Now all you need to do is to roll about. I’m sorry but there is no other way. Well, technically there is but I doubt that you wish to run away naked.”  
  
“You’re right, I don’t wish that,” admitted the doctor while effectively turning his white uniform into a brownish mess.  
  
“We should go, they are closing in on us,” warned Tyler.  
  
“Follow me!” Said Alastryne.  
  
They all started running.


	8. Chapter 8

**1 hour ago**

  
Hidden in a cave, the stranded Starfleet officers were reviewing their options. They had managed to escape their pursuers, thanks to their new friend who knew the area like the back of her hand.  
  
“How long have you been here?” Asked Stamets, after they introduced themselves properly.  
  
Alastryne shrugged: “I don’t know. Forever? The Hastyrians had me brought here for good luck. It’s their belief that my species has a special link with nature and that in return nature will fill their needs. Hastyrians used to be such peaceful people…”  
  
“What happened?”   
  
Tyler had already an idea about what came upon Hastyria and the woman confirmed his fear.  
  
“Klingons. They raided the planet. Turned the Hastyrians into soldiers. Those who refused to pledge allegiance were killed. In the end the Klingons threatened to destroy what the natives loved most.”  
  
“Nature herself,” deduced Stamets. “So you say that Hastyrians were brainwashed? Maybe there is a way to undo that and talk peacefully to them?”  
  
Alastryne looked at him sadly: “No. They fear the Klingons so much that they won’t even start listening to you. And even if you convinced them, what would happen next? You would leave them without any protection. The Klingons would come back and be merciless. No, as awful as it sounds, it’s better that way.”  
  
“Except for us,” Culber pointed out.  
  
“Did the Klingons leave some technology here? Is there a transmission tower or a device that would explain why we can’t contact our ship?” Intervened Lorca.  
  
“There is something like that, yes!”  
  
“Then we need to go there as quickly as possible, before Hastyrians guess our next move. We should use the fact that they are disorganised at our advantage. Can you lead the way?”  
  
Alastryne nodded: “We will need to leave those caves and travel in the open for a while though. Isn’t that too dangerous?”  
  
“We can’t remain here. We need to act,” replied the captain sternly.  
  
His body language expressed tension as well as determination and Tyler realised that the captain wasn’t just worried for them. He worried for the Discovery as well; because if Klingons left a transmission device behind, then the Hastyrians would be able to contact them, therefore putting the Federation starship in harm’s way.  
  
“We need to destroy that transmission device,” stated the chief of security out loud.   
  
“Indeed we do,” confirmed Lorca. “And the sooner, the better. Let’s go.”


	9. Chapter 9

**1 hour ago**

In the transporter room, Burnham was still trying to boost the signal. She had requested Tilly’s assistance much to the ensign surprise.

“Transporter technology is not my area of expertise... Are you sure I can help you?”

“You rated top of your class in theoretical engineering, right?”

“That’s correct.”

“Then theoretically, you’re the most qualified person to help me right now.”

They worked in silence for a few minutes, before Sylvia asked the question that was in her mind for quite some time.

“Are you worried for him?”

Burnham paused and considered her roommate.

“I’m worried for all of them. I know that they can take care of themselves but because everyone else is worried around me, I find myself worrying too. I would like them to come back unharmed.”

Tilly smiled weakly:

“I would like that too. But... you know that we might have to leave, right?”

If Burnham knew anything about it, it didn’t show on her face. Her features remained perfectly neutral.

“Can you imagine?” Sylvia went on. “Leaving them behind? Leaving the captain behind?”

So, the word had spread, thought Michael.

She wondered in which state of mind Saru was presently. If the word was out that they may leave, then it probably meant that he was seriously considering this option.

“We can’t let that happen,” said Burnham firmly. “We need to make this thing work, we need to penetrate that field and get them back.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter refers to events that happenend in "Choose your Pain" (S01E05)...

**30mn ago**

  
Despite their best efforts to progress as fast and discreetly as they could, they were eventually spotted by Hastyrians scouts and a new pursuit started.  
  
“We need to get over there!” Shouted Alastryne, pointing a rocky barrier ahead of them. “There is a cave network where we can hide!”  
  
Culber and Stamets were following her closely. Lorca and Tyler closed the ranks, firing at the Hastyrians to slow them down and give the group a chance to escape.  
  
They rushed inside a cave but didn’t stop and kept running. Strangely enough, it wasn’t dark in the cave and their first assumption was that there was an opening on the other side of the barrier. But after they got deeper into the network of caves, they started wondering if Hastyrians had managed to set some artificial light.  
  
“We are almost there! Keep running!” Said Alastryne. “The cave of the Thousand Lights is very near!”  
  
“The what?” Asked Lorca, suddenly alarmed.  
  
But it was already too late. Alastryne made a sudden turn to the left and ran through what looked like bushes and they all followed suit.  
  
Lorca was instantly blinded by the intense light reflecting everywhere on the crystals in the cave. He felt an excruciating pain in his eyes and tried hopelessly to shield them.  
  
Tyler remembered the events in the Klingon prison when he saw his captain stagger. He was in no condition to defend himself. It was up to him to protect Lorca the same way the captain had protected him back there. The chief of security charged the two Hastyrians who had managed to keep track of the group. He heard Alastryne’s and Stamets’ screams when one of the attackers fired his laser gun, just before the Hastyrian collapsed, hit by one of Tyler’s shots. The Starfleet officer let the rage he was feeling inside him guiding him and soon it was over. Or so he thought.  
  
When he turned around, his heart missed a beat. His companions were gathered around Lorca. He had collapsed on the ground, hit by that Hastyrian shot. Doctor Culber was already attending to him.  
  
Tyler walked towards them. He fell on his knees and put his right hand on Lorca’s shoulder:  
  
“I’m sorry, Captain. I failed you. I’m sorry…”


	11. Chapter 11

**15 minutes ago**

 

They kept silent, waiting anxiously for Doctor Culber to say the words that would either reassure them or worry them. He had scanned the captain’s wound with his tricorder and was analysing the results. Lorca was still unconscious and the medical officer had made no attempts to revive him, much to Tyler’s dismay. The chief of security couldn’t bear the sight of his captain lying helpless on the ground. There was something depressing about that picture, as if hope itself had abandoned them.

Culber finally looked up from his device. It wasn’t good. It was written all over his face.

“I will be blunt,” he said quietly. “Unless we get him back on the ship where I can treat him properly, he is dead. I have nothing to treat his wound here so… we need to find a way to contact Discovery.”

 Tyler felt as if he had just received a blow to the stomach. Stamets’ face was blank and Alastryne looked sad, which was odd considering that she had only met them a few hours ago.

“We will succeed,” said the chief engineer cheerfully. “I know that we will. Once we get to the transmission device, everything will be fine.”  
His companions weren’t sharing the same confidence, but they pretended to go along, mostly because it made them feel better.

“First, we have to make sure that he is comfortable,” said Culber. “And right now he isn’t.”

 “The light is too bright here, its hurting his eyes” he explained to Alastryne. “Is there another cave, close by, with as little light as possible?”

“Yes. We can go to the cave of the Gentle Spring. It’s not far from here, it’s safe and the legend says that the water has healing properties…”

“See? This is a good sign!” Smiled Stamets.

There was something almost romantic about the cave of the Gentle Spring. A trickle of water was falling from the wall opposite to the entrance, forming a pool on the ground and weaving to a small crack on the ground. Water had dug a shape, like a river bed. The sound of water falling was very relaxing and for a moment, Stamets wished he could have spent a holiday here with Hugh.

The cave was quite dark; the only light came from a crack above the spring, showing the light of day. The doctor looked around to check if there was a suitable place where Lorca could rest, but the cave’s ground looked equally uncomfortable.

Tyler carefully laid the captain down. He had been carrying him from the cave of the Thousand Lights, doing his best not to make abrupt moves that would have caused him more pain. Lorca had briefly regained consciousness while the chief of security was carrying him.

“We will get you out of here, captain. I swear.”

When Lorca didn’t reply, Ash looked down. The captain was staring at him and the chief of security was stricken by the intensity of his glance. Tyler felt almost hypnotised by the blue gaze and time seemed suspended until Lorca closed his eyes again.

“Rest his head on my knees,” offered Alastryne who had kneeled down. “He will be more comfortable.”

Ash complied and got up to confer with Stamets and Culber while the woman ripped a piece of her dress that she soaked in the water, before she gently cooled Lorca’s forehead that was burning hot.

“Doctor, stay with them. You will be more valuable to the captain than to us. Lieutenant Stamets and myself will locate the device and contact the Discovery.”

He then asked Alastryne to draw him a map to guide him. She draw directions on the dirt and told him about some good hideouts should they encounter Hastyrians.

As Stamets and him were about to leave, Ash looked one last time inside the cave and burnt the picture in his memory. His captain resting next to the spring, Alastryne cooling his brow, Culber checking his pulse.  
  
“They will take good care of him,” whispered the chief engineer. “We need to go now.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Now**

  
Following Alastryne’s instructions, the two Starfleet officers made their way through the network of caves until they reached an opening.  
  
“Now comes the tricky part,” whispered Stamets.  
  
They had to reach a path in the forest that was leading to a Hastyrian camp where they would find the technology left by the Klingons. They were fairly certain there would be patrols and they needed to avoid them at all costs. They checked for movements around the cave opening, but the area seemed safe enough so they ran inside the forest and made a stop at the first hideout, heavy bushes that provided cover.  
  
“We need to blend in, be a part of the forest ourselves,” Tyler said, keeping his voice low.  
  
Stamets guessed that it was a polite way to say that with his pale features, he would easily attract attention. They both covered their faces and hair with soil and soon Paul Stamets was unrecognisable. They progressed until the second hideout, a small cave near the camp. They met a few patrols but managed to avoid them, keeping a low profile. They sat next to each other in the cave and whispered their plan.  
  
“First, we need to do some recon and locate the Klingon devices. I just hope there won’t be too many guards on site.”  
  
“Well, at least it would ease our task as we would know where to look!” Joked Stamets.  
  
The chief of security wondered how he managed to remain in high spirits in their current situation.  
  
“Where there is life, there is hope,” said the chief engineer as if reading his mind. “I know that we are in grave danger, but I want to keep my mind clear of any feeling that would jeopardise our mission. Don’t get me wrong, deep down I’m sick worried about Hugh who we left alone with the captain. I’d rather be with him than here. I guess it’s the same for you.”  
  
“The same for me?” Asked Tyler who wasn’t sure what his companion meant.  
  
“Yes, I saw the look on your face when you left the captain. It was obvious that you didn’t want to leave his side.”  
  
“It’s not what you think… It’s just… We went through a lot together.”  
  
Stamets started laughing.  
  
“A lot? You met in a Klingon prison and you instantly trusted each other, fought your way out and stole a Klingon ship! That’s not just a lot, that’s almost a commitment. What made you trust him in the first place? Nobody trusts him since the Buran. We were appointed to the Discovery so we had no choice, but you on the other hand, trusted him. Tell me why.”  
  
Tyler didn’t expect that kind of talk. He also knew that the chief engineer wouldn’t drop the topic until he was satisfied with an answer so he did his best:  
  
“He is a Starfleet captain. He is a commanding officer and after seven months, I knew I was with the right person to try an escape.”  
  
“The right person? Did you just hear yourself?”  
  
Stamets’ eyes were gleaming with joy.  
  
“Try to see things my way,” he added. “You’ll see that everything falls together. Just like Hugh and I met in a cafe, you and Lorca met in a Klingon prison. This kind of encounter actually suits both of you if I may say so.”  
  
“I don’t want to see things your way,” painfully said Tyler. “The captain’s security is my responsibility. So of course, I care for him. Just like Commander Saru does.”  
  
“Commander Saru doesn’t care for him, he is terrified that he may lose him and therefore repeat an event of the past. He doesn’t want to become another Michael Burnham. He wants to be an acclaimed First Officer. That’s different.”  
  
There was something disturbing about the way Stamets was talking about his fellow officers. His casual tone as he was exposing their personality in a very accurate way was convincing enough and Tyler wondered what it would look like to see things his way. Just as an experiment…  
  
“Michael Burnham,” he said, resisting the temptation. “I want to spend time with her.”  
  
“Maybe. But in my opinion, you misunderstand closeness for love. You both joined Discovery in unusual circumstances; that created a bound. But don’t mistake a similarity for something else. Answer to this and please be honest: right now, at that very moment, after all what we said, who are you thinking about?”  
  
The chief of security remained silent, staring at the rocky wall in front of him. He let the flow of thoughts triggered by the conversation wash over him until everything was clear to him.  
  
“So?”  
  
When his companion turned towards him, Stamets smiled. There was a new determination in Tyler’s eyes. He would do anything to save the one person he cared most about.  
  
“Captain Lorca,” answered the chief of security without breaking eye contact.


	13. Chapter 13

In the cave of the Gentle Spring, Culber and Alastryne were watching over Captain Lorca. The medical officer was mildly relieved that the fever was under control, but the commanding officer was still unconscious and the doctor feared that he had fallen into a coma.  
  
“I wish there was more I could do,” he sighed.  
  
“You will be able to help him soon,” smiled Alastryne. “Your friends will get what they need and then you can go home.”  
  
“What about you?”  
  
A sad expression briefly crossed the woman’s features.  
  
“I have no home. I have nowhere to go.”  
  
Culber spontaneously offered her to join them.  
  
“You saved our lives. We owe you at least to get you anywhere you wish to settle. You will find yourself a proper home…”  
  
Alastryne was about to reply when she heard footsteps approaching.  
  
“Hastyrians!” She said worryingly. “You need to hide! I’ll deal with them, but whatever happens don’t intervene or you will get us all killed. Please, I need you to trust me.”  
  
The doctor looked around the cave for a hiding spot and saw a hollow in one of the walls. He gingerly climbed the wall and squeezed himself in the hollow. He remained utterly still, hoping that the two soldiers who had just come in wouldn’t notice his presence.  
  
They seemed more interested in what was right in front of them and Culber refrained from shivering when he saw them withdraw their weapons. Alastryne looked up at them with pleading eyes.  
  
“Please, don’t take him away from me,” she begged in a whining tone. “You said that I could have a companion… But you never gave me one. I found him and I would like to keep him…. Please…”  
  
The soldiers exchanged a glance.  
  
“The orders are to kill everyone wearing that uniform,” said one of them.  
  
“But you killed already a lot of them on that beach earlier! Surely your masters will be pleased with you. You can spare this one and leave him to me… Please? I’m so lonely here… and you know what happens when I’m sad.”  
  
Both Hastyrians looked suddenly alarmed and she went on:  
“If you take him from me, I will be very sad… Very sad indeed.”  
  
She gently stroke Lorca’s hair while the soldiers seemed hesitant. When they finally put their weapons away, the doctor concealed a sigh of relief.  
  
“He is in a bad shape anyway…” Noted one of the Hastyrians. “We could as well leave him here with you until the masters arrive. They will decide what to do with him. You can keep him for the time being.”  
  
Alastryne’s face brightened:  
  
“Oh, thank you! Thank you so much!”  
  
She looked indeed very happy but as soon as the soldiers were gone, her face betrayed her concern. She waited until she was certain the Hastyrians had left the cave network and she motioned Culber that he could safely get out of his hiding place.  
  
“This is bad,” she said when he joined her. “If Klingons are on their way, then you’re all in terrible danger.”  
  
“Including the Discovery…”  
  
The doctor looked down at the captain; then he remembered something.  
  
“What did you mean earlier when you told those soldiers about being sad? It made them change their minds almost instantly.”  
  
“I used a legend against them. You already know that I was brought on Hastyria for good luck. But if I’m sad, then I might cast a curse and doom everyone, including the planet itself.”  
  
“That’s quite a stupid legend if you consider that they kidnapped you in the first place, therefore making you sad from the very start.”  
  
“You’re right,” Alastryne chuckled. “But in this instance it was very helpful. I simply hope it wasn’t in vain…”


	14. Chapter 14

**Now**

  
Lying flat under some bushes, they were observing the camp, trying to figure out where the Hastyrians would have stored the technology the Klingons left behind. The camp was a mix of huts and tents forming a circle around a large area that was obviously meant for a camp fire and Tyler guessed that the Hastyrians weren’t the sedentary type. They would go from place to place, taking only the essentials with them.  
  
“We should split up,” whispered Stamets. “Cover more grounds.”  
  
“Negative. Look at the camp’s design. We could easily check the tents and the huts from behind. No need to take unnecessary risks. Let’s hope we get lucky.”  
  
The chief engineer resisted the urge to tell him that they haven’t been very lucky as of late, being stranded on a hostile planet with an injured captain. Instead, he followed his companion’s lead. His method proved actually quite efficient. Hastyrians weren’t the greatest architects or tent builders and their homes were full of cracks and gaps allowing the two Starfleet Officer to peek in them. It was a slow process though as they were using vegetation to remain hidden. There weren’t many Hastyrian soldiers on the camp, the others were probably out patrolling, but they still represented a serious threat.  
  
“I found it!” Whispered excitingly the chief engineer, pointing at a tent. “There is a communication station here.”  
  
Tyler crawled back to his position, his mind racing. It was Klingon design which meant that Stamets wouldn’t be able to operate it properly. He on the other hand was used to Klingon technology.  
  
“I’ll operate it. You stay here and keep watch.”  
  
Taking a knife out of his uniform, he carefully cut a hole in the poor quality material, trying to make it look like some animal had ripped it open in an effort to avoid suspicions. The Hastyrians didn’t seem to be experts in operating the communication station, considering none of them was in the tent to take care of the potential incoming messages. For once, things seemed to be working in their favour and Tyler hurried towards the station, as silently as possible. Just as he suspected, there was a jamming signal active. Now all he needed to do was to deactivate it and the Discovery would be able to pick up their signals.  
Outside, the chief engineer caught sight of two soldiers coming back in the camp. They joined a third Hastyrian and gave him what seemed to be a detailed report of their patrol. But something wasn’t right. Suddenly worried, Stamets struggled to get closer to hear what they were saying.  
  
“…we allowed the purple fairy to keep him. He is badly injured so we figured there was nothing wrong about him spending his last moments with her. By the time the Klingons arrive, he will most certainly be dead. If he is lucky.”  
  
The chief engineer realised that they were talking about the captain and Alastryne, but there had been no word about Culber. Stamets retraced his steps until he found himself face to face with an angry Tyler.  
  
“That’s how you keep watch?”  
  
  
His companion quickly briefed him about the bit of conversation he had caught and the chief of security sighed.  
  
“Well, we know that the doctor isn’t a prisoner. So either he managed to hide or…”  
  
“I missed the part where they tell their leader that they killed him…”  
  
Tyler put a comforting hand on Stamets’ shoulder.  
  
“Let’s go and check out, shall we? Plus we should be able to contact Discovery now, but I want to put some distance between us and this camp before I activate my comm badge…”


	15. Chapter 15

**Now**

  
“Commander, we got through!”  
  
Michael Burnham’s voice broke the heavy silence on the U.S.S. Discovery bridge.  
  
“Captain Lorca?”  
  
“No, Sir. We located Lieutenants Stamets and Tyler, but I can locate neither Doctor Culber nor Captain Lorca.”  
  
The crew exchanged a worried glance while the first officer took in the information.  
  
“Try and contact Lieutenant Tyler.”  
  
Saru’s training as a Starfleet officer helped him remain calm despite the circumstances. He knew for a fact that a Klingon ship was approaching and he had the sinking feeling that it would soon be joined by others once the word would come out that the Discovery was orbiting around Hastyria. He should have ordered the ship to leave at maximum warp speed a little while ago but he had found himself unable to give the order.  
  
“That’s why I’m not a Captain,” he had told Burnham during their last debriefing. “I’m not like you or Captain Lorca. You would have ordered the ship to leave.”  
  
“I don’t know,” had replied the science specialist. “I’m not in your position; I don’t have that burden on my shoulders, so I can’t tell you what decision I would have taken.”  
  
“It doesn’t matter anyway.”  
  
“No, it doesn’t.”  
  
Time was of the essence. While Burnham tried to contact the chief of security, Saru estimated that their chances of survival against the Klingons had increased now that Stamets had been found, providing that he would be able to jump.  
  
“Lieutenants Stamets and Tyler are fine,” there was relief in the science specialist’s voice. “They are en route to get to Doctor Culber and Captain Lorca’s position. But Sir, I have to inform you; Captain Lorca has been badly injured. And Lieutenant Stamets fears that Doctor Culber and Captain Lorca’s location might have been compromised.”  
  
The first officer stiffened and contacted the transportation room.  
  
“Get ready to beam over our missing crewmembers as soon as you get a lock on the four of them. Beam them directly to the medical bay.”  
  
“Aye, Sir.”  
  
He then turned towards Burnham:  
“Specialist Burnham, I want you to coordinate with the transporter officer. I want them back as fast as possible.”  
  
“Yes, Sir.”


	16. Chapter 16

**Now**

  
“Doctor, I think that he is awake…”  
  
Hugh Culber was standing near the cave’s entrance, checking for any signs of Tyler and Stamets’ return. He rushed towards his patient and noted that Lorca had indeed regained consciousness. The doctor was satisfied to see that his gaze was following every movement he made. Lorca was indeed fully awake.  
  
 “How do you feel, Captain?” He asked worryingly.  
  
“Not… very well,” Lorca replied in a hollow voice. “What’s… our status?”  
  
“Lieutenant Stamets and Tyler have gone to the Hastyrian camp in order to disable the jamming signal. Alastryne has bought as some time, but we learnt that Klingons were on their way.”  
  
The commanding officer tried to move, as if he wanted to stand up, but Culber put a restraining hand on his chest.  
  
“You are in no condition to move, Sir. It would only make your wound worse.”  
  
Lorca gestured his understanding, but the doctor could feel his frustration and so did Alastryne obviously, because she resumed stroking the captain’s hair. Culber smiled at the woman.  
  
“Sir, I hope that you won’t mind but I’ve invited Alastryne to come with us. She saved our lives a few times already and she has been a prisoner on this planet long enough…”  
  
“Of course…”  
  
Lorca’s voice was getting weaker and the doctor feared that he would pass out again very soon. That’s when he heard footsteps. Alarmed, he looked up at the woman, but she seemed quite happy.  
  
Tyler and Stamets silhouettes appeared at the cave’s entrance.  
  
“Interesting development,” muttered the chief engineer to himself when he saw Alastryne’s gentleness towards the captain.  
  
The chief of security had noticed it too and a stern expression came upon his features.  
  
“We succeeded. The Discovery is ready to beam us aboard but we need to leave those caves at once. They can’t locate our signal here,” he said on a neutral tone.  
  
“Alright, now you can try and get up,” said Culber to Lorca. “Let’s get you out of here.”  
  
Supported by Stamets and Culber, the captain managed to make a few steps before he passed out again, forcing the two Starfleet officers to drag him. Tyler walked in the front to protect them should any Hastyrian soldier show up. Alastryne was behind him, feeling anxious and excited at the same time. When they arrived at the cave opening and were about to get in the open, Tyler turned towards the woman and spoke rather coldly:  
“I’ll take it from here. Thanks for your help and good luck.”  
Alastryne realised that she was to be left behind and tears started rolling down her cheeks.  
  
“That’s not the plan,” intervened Culber in an unusual commanding voice. “She is coming with us. Captain Lorca extended an invitation to her.”  
  
The doctor and the chief engineer dragged the captain outside the cave and Culber motioned Alastryne to come next to him. He took his hand and hit his comm badge.  
  
“Discovery? Five to beam up.”


	17. Chapter 17

**24h later**

  
The first thing he saw when he awoke was a friendly face. A woman was smiling at him. She had clear green eyes and she looked genuinely happy. He took in his immediate surroundings and recognised the medical bay. He was on board Discovery. On board his ship. He felt instantly relieved and it probably showed on his features because Doctor Culber was smiling too when he reached his bed.  
  
“Yes, Captain, you’re back home. We all are.”  
  
“How long…?”  
  
“Were you out? Twenty-four hours.”  
  
Culber handed Lorca a glass of water and asked how he felt.  
  
“Good as new,” lied the commanding officer.  
  
But the doctor wasn’t to be fooled by this obvious attempt to leave and he ordered his patient to remain under his watch at least two more days. As a result, Lorca wasn’t in the best of moods when Saru came to visit him.  
  
“I’m glad to see that you feel better, Sir.”  
  
“Yes, yes. What is the ship’s status?”  
  
“After we beamed you up, Lieutenant Stamets was able to make a jump that put us away from the Klingon threat. We lost three crewmembers to the Hastyrian incident and eleven were injured, including you, Sir.”  
  
The contrition in the Kelpien’s voice betrayed his state of mind.  
  
“Don’t blame yourself for what happened,” the captain told him. “You couldn’t possibly know that the planet was under Klingon oppression. This should be a lesson for us. From now on, we don’t take anything for granted.”  
  
Saru nodded his approval, but Lorca noticed that his gaze was following Alastryne.  
  
“Is there anything the matter with her?”  
  
The captain was used to his first officer’s high sensitivity to danger and had come to trust it.  
  
“No, Sir. Quite on the contrary.”  
  
Lorca raised a surprised eyebrow. This was a first. The Kelpien usually assumed that everyone was dangerous or couldn’t be trusted.  
  
“You should know that we got several reports indicating that Klingons raided Hastyria after we left. They probably realised who we were and that they missed an opportunity to capture the captain of the U.S.S. Discovery.”  
  
“What are you getting at?” Interrupted his superior officer.  
  
“What I’m saying, Sir, is that there was a massacre on Hastyria and considering Alastryne was their good luck fairy… One could conclude that she has indeed a special ability of sorts.”  
  
The captain sighed deeply. Now he recognised his first officer.  
  
“You seem to forget that she was still on the planet when Klingons raided it the first time. There were casualties too. So this theory of yours is a bit thin, don’t you think? Unless of course you haven’t told me all of it.”  
  
“As a matter of fact, I know of her species. As you know, Kelpien have a high sensitivity and therefore we… are always on edge. But there was one species that managed to take that away from us. They would make us feel safe, bring us solace. Sadly, in other cultures, they are considered good luck fairies and have been hunted for centuries and held captive, just like Alastryne was. When I met her, I felt it. I knew who she was and that’s why she can be trusted. That and the fact that she took an interest in you.”  
  
“What?”  
  
“Doctor Culber told me everything that happened on Hastyria. She protected you from Hastyrian soldiers. She barely left your side since you’re on the Discovery.”  
  
“Let me guess, this calls for another fairy legend from your people…”  
  
There was a hint of sarcasm, but Saru ignored it.  
  
“It is believed that her species can feel every individual’s inner vibration and read it like a sheet of music. When they find someone sharing their own vibration they will link their fate to that person.”  
  
“You mean like finding one’s true love?” Mocked Lorca.  
  
 “Not necessarily. The bound can take many forms. She might just become a friend or your confidant; no one can’t tell which form it will take. But I must say, I envy you, Sir.”  
  
Both men looked at Alastryne who was attending one of Doctor Culber’s patient. She probably felt that she was observed because she turned around and smiled at them.  
  
“I should go and let you rest, Sir. I’ll come by later,” decided Saru as if all of a sudden he wished to be somewhere else.  
  
“A good luck fairy and a fortune cookie connoisseur, now I wonder where this is going to take us,” Lorca said dreamingly once he was gone.


	18. Chapter 18

**Now**

  
Sitting on the couch, next to Ash Tyler, Michael Burnham was pensive. Since he had gotten back from Hastyria, the chief of security had been quite sombre. She had hoped that some time together might help lighten his mood and she joined him in his quarters. She could see that something was bothering him and he seemed reluctant to talk about it.  
  
“What happened down there?” She insisted.  
  
“I failed to protect the captain,” was the laconic reply.  
  
“But he is fine now. Furthermore no one could have predicted that the natives would turn against Starfleet… It’s the same thing as falling into a trap. You can’t control it. All you can do is trying your best to get out of it and that’s exactly what you did. So why don’t you stop blaming yourself? I have enough with Saru who thinks he is responsible because he suggested going to Hastyria in the first place…”  
  
Tyler let out a heavy sigh:  
“It’s not just that. There is something else.”  
  
Burnham shifted on the couch to face him, waiting for him to go on.  
  
“The new girl on board.”  
  
“What about her? I heard that she helped saving the team.”  
  
Her companion looked up at her and the science specialist was taken aback by the anger she could read in his eyes.  
  
“That’s just it. Everyone praises her, yet we have no idea who she is. She claims to have been captive, but how can we verify that? For all we know, she might be a Klingon spy! Or worse!”  
  
Burnham had to admit that he had a point. She had only briefly met Alastryne and she seemed nice and caring, but apart from that, he was right. They had no details about her.  
  
“Saru trusts her,” she said, carefully choosing her words. “And you know how suspicious he gets. Surely this is a good sign.”  
  
“Still, I don’t like this a bit.”  
  
He seemed really upset about it and the science specialist suggested he spoke to the captain.  
  
“Yes, that’s another thing. She spends a lot of time with him. She is always in the medical bay, supposedly assisting Doctor Culber.”  
  
“And what does Doctor Culber has to say about the situation? Did you talk to him?”  
  
Tyler shrugged:  
“What for? He is infatuated with her… sort of.”  
  
“So what do you plan on doing then?”  
  
“I think that I’ll go and see Captain Lorca… The sooner, the better.”  
  
It was her cue to leave. Burnham got up from the couch, half hoping that Tyler would hold her back, but he didn’t. She left his quarters, wondering if he had been entirely honest with her. Something felt wrong; yet she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.  
  
The chief of security waited for a little while; then he made his way to the medical bay. As he was about to enter he froze when he caught the sight of Alastryne sitting on the edge of Lorca’s bed. The captain and the woman were engaged in a pleasant chat if he trusted their relaxed features. The whole picture looked innocent, but it wasn’t to Tyler who felt a burst of anger burning him from within. He clenched his teeth so hard it became painful. There was no point in talking to Lorca anymore; it was too late for that. He had to find another way to get rid of her. The chief of security turned round and left, his mind filled with destructive thoughts.


	19. Chapter 19

**Now**

  
“How do you feel?”  
  
Alastryne had come to check on the captain who noted that she had exchanged her flimsy purple dress against a dark blue casual dress that could have been mistaken for a variation of a Starfleet uniform.  
  
“You seem to blend in quite nicely,” replied Lorca, ignoring her question.  
  
“Doctor Culber thought that it would be best to wear something more appropriate while I assist him.”  
  
“Oh, so you’re assisting him?”  
  
The woman suddenly worried:  
“Is that alright? I just wanted to make myself useful while I’m on board your ship. I realise that I didn’t ask for your permission, I’m sorry.”  
  
The captain straightened in his bed. He couldn’t stand being inactive. He was still weak but he eager to go back to the bridge and he despised being forced to stay in bed.  
  
“Doctor Culber should have told me; but it’s fine. So what exactly are you assisting him with? Do you have some medical background?”  
  
Alastryne smiled and he wondered what he had said that was funny. Next thing he knew, she was sitting on the edge of his bed, telling him about her species, how they were great listeners and had a talent for counselling. Doctor Culber had noticed that his patients were feeling more relaxed when she was around and he had suggested she talked to the crewmembers who had been injured during the Hastyria incident, helping them go through the traumatic experience.  
  
Lorca remembered his earlier talk with Saru. He too had mentioned her good influence on his high sensitive sense. It seemed that the woman had a good influence on the crew’s morale and he could use a talent like hers.  
  
“You know that we are at war, right?”  
  
She nodded:  
“Yes. I realised it the day the Klingons came on the planet.”  
  
“What I meant to say is that the Discovery is fighting the war. And I will do everything to help win this war, you understand?”  
  
“You’re asking me if I want to stay on the Discovery?”  
  
“Basically, yes. We can drop you off at the nearest starbase and you can start a new life from there, but if you want the job, you can become the Discovery’s counselor…”  
  
“I would love that,” Alastryne replied. “Having a purpose, a home.”  
  
Her face brightened at the thought of her new future and for a moment, she looked like the fairy she was supposed to be.  
  
“Can I tell Doctor Culber?”  
  
“By all means; from now on, you are his responsibility.”  
  
She got up and made a few steps towards Culber’s office before she suddenly turned round, ran towards Lorca’s bed and clumsily hugged the captain.  
  
“Thank you! Thank you so much!”  
  
Stunned by her impulsive move, Lorca didn’t react. When he recovered from his surprise, Alastryne was already in the doctor’s office.


	20. Chapter 20

**A month later**

  
Life on board the U.S.S. Discovery proved to be exciting for Alastryne whose recollection of her time before Hastyria was non-existent. She enjoyed working with Doctor Culber who praised her work as the ship’s counselor. Alastryne had her own office, but she was also keen on visiting the Doctor’s patients on their bedside. At first, none of the crewmembers seemed eager to take an appointment with the new counselor, but after Commander Saru came to meet her, a few officers did as well. Captain Lorca implemented a mandatory monthly meeting with Alastryne and she got quite busy. As for the captain himself, he had been cleared for duty in no time – mostly because he proved to be a very difficult patient – and he insisted on meeting Alastryine once a week to discuss the crew’s state of mind. She joined him in his ready room the first week, but soon realised that he had no intention to discuss his own state of mind after the events of Hastyria. That’s when she decided to trick him into meeting her in her own office the next week.  
  
“I know what you have in mind, Counselor,” the captain said when they were done reviewing the crew’s manifest.  
  
Alastryne smiled: “You are one of the only two people who didn’t take the mandatory meeting…”  
  
Lorca frowned: “And who is the second one?”  
  
“Lieutenant Tyler. And from what I read in his file, he could benefit from a session. Just like you in fact.”  
  
“I’ll have a word with him. Now… What is it that you want to know?”  
  
The captain leaned back in the comfortable arm-chair, acting relaxed, but Alastryne knew better. It was obvious that he had rehearsed his gestures, his speech even. This session wouldn’t be an easy one.  
  
“How do you feel?”  
  
“About what?”  
  
“Anything. Everything.”  
  
Lorca looked unsettled. He had obviously been expecting some direct questions.  
  
“I’m fine.”  
  
“This is not what I asked. How do you feel?”  
  
“I feel…”  
  
She knew he was about to say “fine”, but he eventually realised that it would bring him nowhere. He was staring at the counsellor and she found it hard to hold his gaze. The intensity of the blue eyes was so strong that she felt she could simply drown in them. She knew that if she lowered her eyes, she would convey the wrong message. He wouldn’t respect her authority as the ship’s counselor and she couldn’t allow it.  
  
“I feel better,” he finally said, much to Alastryne’s satisfaction.  
  
“I read on your files that you had some tough months. I’m really impressed at how you managed to cope. By the way, how did you manage to cope?”  
  
“I try not to think about it,” the captain replied, then he sighed: “Yes, you can say it, I’m in denial. But it is my way to cope with things. I need to set an example for the men and women serving under my command. I need to be strong so they can rely on me and be strong too.”  
  
“Or maybe you want to be strong so you can expect the same from them. They admire and respect you, Captain, but they don’t have empathy for you. You are their captain, but I’m afraid you are only that and I fear that one day it won’t be sufficient anymore. They need to have a purpose; other than following your orders…”  
  
Lorca shifted on his seat.  
  
“You’re saying that I should be… nicer?”  
  
The counselor laughed:  
  
“If you want to, but what I really had in mind was: be human. Show them that you cared. Act with them the same way you do with specialist Burnham. Everybody knows that you have taken an interest in her.”  
  
“The same can be said about you…” the captain said without thinking.  
  
They both remained silent, staring at each other, trying to think about how to get on from this point.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The fate of Gabriel Lorca in the series upset me so much that I needed to take a break from writing this story. I finally took the time to get back to it and I hope that you will enjoy it!

**Two months later**

 The Discovery had engaged in battles alongside Starfleet ships, and Alastryne has witnessed the meaning of being at war. She had been both impressed and shocked.

“I don’t know how you manage to keep an emotional distance to all of this,” she confessed to Lorca, while they were sharing tea in the captain’s quarters.

The weekly meetings had turned into daily meetings after Starfleet Command had ordered the Discovery to provide some firepower support to the fleet in the area. Everyone on board the Discovery was under pressure, and the counselor’s job was to ensure that the crew would remain focused on the task. It was not an easy job, and it required Alastryne a lot of strength and willpower to remain cheerful and optimistic.

So when Lorca offered to make their meeting more casual, she instantly agreed. While everyone else was tense and on edge around the captain, she found his company relaxing.

“I have been trained to keep my feelings separate from my duties,” the commanding officer told her. “It doesn’t mean that I don’t care, but it’s the only way to ensure efficiency.”

Alastryne considered his words for a moment.

“What?” He smiled when he noticed that she was staring at him.

“I wonder… We are so different. I’m weak, I have been all my life, and you’re strong. Our paths shouldn’t have crossed. In normal circumstances, you wouldn’t even notice me, right? We were walking on parallel lines that weren’t meant to cross. And yet, they did. Now I’m walking alongside you, while you have to deal with my weakness.”

The counselor sounded sad. The captain hadn’t been expecting such a statement from her, and he didn’t know what to do with it at first. Instead, he extended his hand for her to take. She did, and he locked her small and delicate hand into his.

“Yes, we certainly are different. But I don’t believe you when you say that our paths shouldn’t have crossed. I may be strong, but I need to be reminded that not everyone is, and that I cannot expect everyone to be. You survived as a prisoner for a long time, which means that you’re strong as well. What you call weakness is strength. The one I rely on by having you working as the ship’s counselor. I’m using you, and I’m not ashamed to do so. The ship’s morale improved since you joined us. They are willing to surpass themselves all the time. I couldn’t have achieved that without you. It might be difficult for you to adjust to all of this, because everything is new to you; and believe me when I say that I’m sorry that I dragged you into this. I should have brought you to a safer place back when we escaped Hastyria. But I wanted you to stay around, and so you did.”

Alastryne’s face brightened: “This is what I call an excellent session, Captain. You keep surprising me with your reactions.”

Lorca seemed confused: “Did you just trick me into some introspection?”

He wanted to let go of her hand, but she didn’t let him. She wanted to enjoy this rare moment of intimacy a bit longer.

“Yes, because I needed to know how sincere you were,” she admitted. “In order to provide the best care and guidance to your crew, I need to know where you stand. I need to be able to justify your decisions and actions. You might find me a little intrusive in your command, but I can ensure you that I only have your crew’s best interests at heart.”

Her tone was very serious, but she still didn’t let go of his hand.

“And what about the captain’s best interests?” Asked Lorca.

She smiled and she gently squeezed his hand: “You tell me...”


	22. Chapter 22

The crew was tense and under pressure, but everyone was still looking for some gossip, and that’s why when the rumour spread that the captain and the counselor were romantically involved, every crew member started looking out for clues or evidence that it was true. The rumour became the main topic of numerous conversations, especially in the mess, during lunch or dinner time.

Sylvia Tilly was especially interested in that development, and couldn’t stop herself from talking about it all the time.

“Do you think it’s going to change the captain? I mean, it’s a big deal, dating someone on the same ship you serve. I doubt that Starfleet Command would be very happy if they heard about it, though.”

Burnham sighed. She had been trying to have a quiet lunch, but her roommate was in a talkative mood, and she wouldn’t drop the topic until she got Michael’s opinion on the matter.

“First of all, Alastryne is not Starfleet. She is a civilian, helping out during a crisis.”

She was tempted to add: “like me”, but that would have been a lie. The specialist was not a civilian. She was a prisoner conscripted in times of war. She would still have to serve her sentence when the war is over.

“And why the sudden interest in the captain’s love life anyway? Why aren’t you equally interested in Docteur Culber and Lieutenant Stamets’ love life?”

Tilly smiled and leaned forward: “Because they are already an item, while Captain Lorca and the counselor might still be a thing!”

From Burnham’s blank expression, Sylvia gathered that she had never experienced the excitement of hunting down a rumour.

“It’s just like when you do something forbidden. You know you shouldn’t, but you can’t help yourself! It’s the same here. There is a bit of mystery surrounding the captain right now, and we are all eager to uncover it.”

Her roommate thought about it for a moment, and then she nodded:

“I see. And once you know for sure if the captain and the conselor are in a relationship or not, then this whole hunt won’t be as interesting as it was.”

“Basically, yes!”

She saw Michael glance towards the security officer, and she smiled:

“Well, truth be said, I was a little excited about you and Tyler. But it’s different.”

“I’m not the captain. I’m not important,” stated Burnham.

“Well…”

Tilly was clearly embarrassed, but she was saved from justifying herself by Ash’s arrival. He sat down at the table with them.

“So, what were you ladies talking about?”

“We were discussing the crew’s compulsion to gossip over the captain’s love life.”

Tyler’s reaction surprised both women.

“Don’t you have anything better to discuss? Are your lives so empty that you need to spy on others’?”

Sylvia and Michael exchanged a glance. The security officer seemed quite upset, and none of them understood why.

“I’m sorry,” stammered Tilly. “I didn’t mean… well… it’s just that… it’s the captain, you know…”

She had a clear feeling that she was making things worse, and she looked down at her dessert. Tyler got up quite abruptly and left the mess, concerned that his anger might attract attention to himself. Once in the corridor, he took a few deep breaths and managed to calm down. Those rumours were really getting to him. It was bad enough that the crew was gossiping about a romance between Lorca and Alastryne, everyone seemed to want it to happen! In less than two months, the woman they had taken on board following the Hastyrian events had managed to be well liked by the entire ship!

Ash rested his back against the wall, thinking that life was unfair, thinking that after what he and the captain had gone through, he deserved more than this. How could he make him see reason? How could he convince him that he was making a mistake by choosing Alastryne over him?


End file.
